Page 8 of Darcy By Day, Demon By Night

“Oh,” she said. Fear was fading from her expression but she still looked upset. I couldn’t blame her, it was a lot to take in.

“I don’t know where the idea that demons want to bargain for souls came from,” I continued. I needed her to understand that my species was no threat to hers. “We visit the human realm all the time because there are so many of you. Demons don’t reproduce often so our population is low. Humans are quick to reproduce and have wonderfully colorful cities full of fascinating items. Have you ever had Ethiopian food? It’s absolutely the best!”

She nodded her head. “It is good,” she agreed, then shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m talking about food right now.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Are you a threat to me at all?” she asked, pinning me with her gaze. “If I wanted to leave right now, would you let me?”

“Of course,” I said. “Here, I'll show you. Picture where you live. Build it in your head. Think about the color of the walls, the shape of the rooms, what it looks like outside the windows.”

“Why?” she asked.

“So I can take you home,” I explained. “I only need to hold your hand for a moment, then I can build you a portal home.”

She held out a hand, revealing one lovely breast. I forced my gaze to stay on her face as I took her hand. She was thinking of home so strongly it was easy to pluck out. I built a portal behind a hidden door and reluctantly let go of her hand.

“Problem?” she asked, covering herself again. “Was I not thinking the right way?”

“You did perfectly,” I said. “Come over here.”

I led her to a section of shelving that silently slid open with the press of a hidden trigger.

“That’s Nan and Justice's apartment!” she exclaimed.

“That’s not where you live?” I asked, worried.

“No, but it is where I’m staying for now,” she assured me.

She brushed past me to step through the portal. I stayed on my side. I didn’t want her to feel like I was being predatory.

“You turned the hall closet into a portal,” she murmured, looking back at me.

“It’s easiest to build them between doorways,” I explained.

She nodded, touching the doorframe on her side.

“When you close the door, the portal will shut down,” I said, keeping a death grip on the shelf-door that opened into my side. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. “Please, can I see you again? You feel special to me, and I want to have a chance to, um, take you on some proper dates. Like a human male would.”

To my shock, she stepped back to my side of the portal. “I don’t want to leave yet,” she murmured. “I only needed to know I could if I wanted to.”

“I can leave the portal active for a long as you like,” I offered.

She took the door from me and closed it so it looked like a shelf again. “Show me how to open it.”

I pointed to the hidden lever. She pressed on it, and the shelf sprung open. She grabbed the edge and easily pushed it all the way open to reveal her friends’ apartment.

“What happens if they open it from their side?” she asked, shutting the shelf.

“They’ll see a closet,” I explained. “This portal can only be activated from this side.”

She nodded and turned to face me, running her eyes up and down my body. That’s when I remembered I was still naked.

“This explains so much,” she said. “I’ve always seen odd things, but I didn’t pay attention. I live in LA, so of course there’s going to be people running around in realistic costumes. But they weren’t. They were real too.”

“Probably most of them,” I agreed. “Lots of species like to visit humans. You guys have the best food, music, and games. Have you ever gone to Disneyland? I know it’s supposed to be for children, but it’s delightful.”

“It’s a rite of passage to go if you grew up in So Cal,” she said, then pointed to the door leading out into the hall. “Are you really friends with Yuri? He’s not, like, your slave or anything, right?”